Royal George Theatre to get 'Fifty Shades of Grey' parody

The venerable Royal George Theatre is getting a “Spank.” That's the unofficial stage-musical parody of the hit erotic novel “Fifty Shades of Grey” by the British author E.L. James, which is headed to the Royal George mainstage, later this fall.

The show, fully titled “Spank! The Fifty Shades Parody,” has a cast of three and will run in Chicago for three weeks beginning Nov. 28. It’s produced by the Canadian company Just for Laughs Group and Mills Entertainment. The producers claim the show lands somewhere between “Saturday Night Live” and a night spent with Chippendale's dancers.

The piece was written and directed by Jim Millan. It tried out in Springfield, Mass., in October and opens in the 750-seat Panasonic Theatre in Toronto this month. “It's a little bit raunchy,” said producer Mike Mills in an interview Tuesday, “but we find the fun in the book.”

There are two women and one man in the cast; one of the women plays the author and, Mills said, we then watch her bring her two characters to life. “A lot of women in our audience relate to this character who is married with children but craves a little excitement,” said Mills.

According to Mills, tickets to the Springfield tryout sold out immediately. “Women are looking for a fun night with their friends,” he said, “and they want something a little bit raunchy.”

Tickets $52.50 and $42.50, go on sale Friday at ticketmaster.com or by calling 800-982-2787 or 312-988-9000.